Apple's iPhone 4 and 4S have already set the gold standard for resolution in mobile devices, and now the company has its sights set on reaching the same milestone in the notebook market, a new report claims.

Citing industry sources, DigiTimes is reporting today that Apple is currently planning to launch a new MacBook Pro in the second quarter that would come with a 2,880x1,800 ultra-high-resolution display. The display would be a significant step up over what it currently offers. The company's 17-inch MacBook Pro, for example, features a 1,920x1,200 LED-backlit display.

A 2,880x1,800 screen would even be a major improvement over the company's top-of-the-line Thunderbolt Display. That 27-inch monitor, which goes for $999, has a 2,560x1,440 screen. Whether or not Apple would want to trump its display or bring even better picture quality to the monitor to keep it ahead of the MacBook Pro, remains to be seen.

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Apple made waves last year when it unveiled the iPhone 4's Retina Display. That technology, which is also available in the iPhone 4S, delivers greater pixel density than other products on store shelves, giving users far better resolution than they can find elsewhere. The move prompted other companies to try and match the Retina Display with high-quality HD displays of their own.

According to DigiTimes' sources, the same scenario might play out in the notebook market as other vendors try to catch up to Apple's ultra-high-resolution displays. However, even without Apple's help, Asus and Acer are already planning to boost resolutions in their ultrabook lines to 1,920x1,080 during the first half of next year, DigiTimes' sources say.

About the author

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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